A few other pieces excerpted via today's "Today in Iraq", apparently one of the few places that bothers to deliver daily war news anymore.

In sum, listen to the experts. Those commanders on the ground, in the theater, or in the know, and who aren't running for anything...

Officer who rallied UK troops condemns 'cynical' Iraq war

British officer sounds off. “Colonel Tim Collins, the British commander whose stirring speech to his troops on the eve of the Iraq invasion was reportedly hung on a wall in the Oval Office by George Bush, has criticised the British and US governments over the war. The officer, who has now left the Army, condemned the lack of planning for the aftermath of the conflict and questioned the motives for attacking Iraq. He said abuses against Iraqi civilians were partly the result of ‘leaders of a country, leaders of an alliance' constantly referring to them as the ‘enemy ... rather than treating them as people.' This attitude was inevitably adopted by some soldiers on the ground, he said.”

Most senior US military officers now believe the war on Iraq has turned into a disaster on an unprecedented scale

[A]ccording to the US military's leading strategists and prominent retired generals, Bush's war is already lost. Retired general William Odom, former head of the National Security Agency, told me: "Bush hasn't found the WMD. Al-Qaida, it's worse, he's lost on that front. That he's going to achieve a democracy there? That goal is lost, too. It's lost." He adds: "Right now, the course we're on, we're achieving Bin Laden's ends."

Retired general Joseph Hoare, the former marine commandant and head of US Central Command, told me: "The idea that this is going to go the way these guys planned is ludicrous. There are no good options. We're conducting a campaign as though it were being conducted in Iowa, no sense of the realities on the ground. It's so unrealistic for anyone who knows that part of the world. The priorities are just all wrong."

Jeffrey Record, professor of strategy at the Air War College, said: "I see no ray of light on the horizon at all. The worst case has become true. There's no analogy whatsoever between the situation in Iraq and the advantages we had after the second world war in Germany and Japan."

W Andrew Terrill, professor at the Army War College's strategic studies institute - and the top expert on Iraq there - said: "I don't think that you can kill the insurgency". According to Terrill, the anti-US insurgency, centred in the Sunni triangle, and holding several cities and towns - including Fallujah - is expanding and becoming more capable as a consequence of US policy.

"We have a growing, maturing insurgency group," he told me. "We see larger and more coordinated military attacks. They are getting better and they can self-regenerate. The idea there are x number of insurgents, and that when they're all dead we can get out is wrong. The insurgency has shown an ability to regenerate itself because there are people willing to fill the ranks of those who are killed. The political culture is more hostile to the US presence. The longer we stay, the more they are confirmed in that view."

As Josh Marshall said yesterday, "Bush on Iraq: Who you gonna believe? Me, or your lyin' eyes?"

While it may have been another quiet week in Lake Wobegon, it was anything but quiet in Iraq. According to "Iraq Coalition Casualty Count" --- a website that posts publically released Pentagon data on Iraq casualties, but is blocked by the Pentagon in Iraq so that troops there cannot have access to it --- there have been 1,032 US Troops killed so far.

And here's what you probably haven't heard all that much about over the last two days there. Once again from "Today in Iraq" (another site blocked from troops in Iraq by the Pentagon):

Unless I'm mistaken, I recall two distinct visits by Bush to Florida (swing state) in the aftermath of Hurricanes Charley and Frances. The "President" cared so much, he was photographed handing out bags of ice and cases of water with his brother Governor Jeb to Florida's bereaved voters victims.

Then came Hurricane Ivan, as powerful as Charley, as big as Frances, which hit Alabama (solid red state) and killed some 42 people.

George W. Bush will be spending some down time this weekend at his family's compound in Kennebunkport, ME. No scheduled compassionate fake conservatism visits to Alabama to survey the damage and help the victims there currently on the "Presidents" calendar.

Campaign mail with a return address of the Republican National Committee warns West Virginia voters that the Bible will be prohibited and men will marry men if liberals win in November.

The literature shows a Bible with the word "BANNED" across it and a photo of a man, on his knees, placing a ring on the hand of another man with the word "ALLOWED." The mailing tells West Virginians to "vote Republican to protect our families" and defeat the "liberal agenda."

Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie said Friday that he wasn't aware of the mailing, but said it could be the work of the RNC. "It wouldn't surprise me if we were mailing voters on the issue of same-sex marriage," Gillespie said.

So does that sound like the Republicans? The same group who called South Carolina voters during the 2000 primary to ask what they thought of John McCain fathering a black out-of-wedlock baby? Oh, yes. It sounds a lot like them. Gillespie's inability to deny it, of course, seals the deal. Your Republican Party: Anything to Win.

Also note this release comes late Friday (when they release info they wish to bury from the mainstream media) and a few days after White House Spokesman, Scott McClellan had hinted that more could be coming. I guess he already knew.

The Pentagon Friday released more documents on President Bush's Vietnam-era Air National Guard Service, including a letter from his then-congressman father George Bush thanking a general for “taking interest in a brand new Air Force trainee.”

...

“That a major general in the Air Force would take interest in a brand new Air Force trainee made a big impression on me,” then Texas Rep. George Bush wrote to Maj. Gen. G.B. Greene Jr., commander of the Lackland Air Force Base Military Training Center, on Sept. 11, 1968.

...

I was surprised and very, very pleased to receive your letter of August 27th,” Bush's father said in the letter, which was written on congressional stationery. The file does not contain Greene's letter to Bush's father, but shows the letter his father wrote back.

...

“General Greene, this is a personal letter but I did want to write to you from the heart and thank you for what you, Sgt. (Henry) Onacki and the others are doing, and obviously doing well,” Bush concluded.

Developing...

UPDATE: .PDF of letter from George HW Bush here. .PDF of Press Release about young Bush and the fact that he is son of U.S. Congressman here. (Most ironic line from the release: “George Bush is one member of the younger generation who doesn't get his kicks from pot or hashish or speed. Oh, he gets high, all right, but not from narcotics.”)

In a victory for Republicans hoping to win by getting Ralph Nader on as many ballots as possible, in lieu of confidence that their man is good enough to win on his own, the Florida Supreme Court has just ruled that Nader can be added to the ballot because the Florida Legislature's law was not clear enough to determine the matter one way or another. So they decided to rule in favor of inclusion on the ballot.

That's nice. But wouldn't that seem to go against the Republican's argument from 2000 that the Florida Supremes were all Democratic activist judges, and that a lack of clarity in the law concerning ballot counting meant that the law should be ignored in favor of not counting every ballot?

Apparently judiciaries are only biased "activists" when they rule against what Republicans want.

Juneau, AK, Sep. 15 (UPI) --- The state Supreme Court has affirmed the rights of Alaskan adults to possess four ounces of marijuana for personal use in the home.

The ruling lets stand a Court of Appeals' August 2003 decision that determined a ballot initiative passed by voters in 1990 outlawing any amount of the drug to be unconstitutional.
...
Alaska is the 12th state to decriminalize the personal use of the drug.

Bush has been speaking lately to the American people of "making progress" in Iraq since handing over "sovereignty". Hopefully he's not referring to this kind of progress since handing over "sovereignty":

Bush, in the meantime, while criticizing Kerry for offering no Exit Strategy in Iraq, has offered no Exit Strategy from Iraq. As of this post, 1,029 (update) 1,030 US Troops have been killed in Bush's "miscalculation" so far.

Q Isn't it kind of disingenuous for the President to say that I'm for the assault weapons ban, but then not spend a nickle of his political capital to fight for it?

MR. McCLELLAN: I disagree. His position has always been well-known, and it's been clear going back to his first campaign for President.

Q That he was for the ban?

MR. McCLELLAN: For a reauthorization of the current ban.

Q Let me follow up on this point. For a guy who goes around the country and says, I say what I mean, and you should take me at my word --- so if he's for the ban, and he doesn't do a thing ---

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, keep in mind that the Congress is the one that sets the legislative timetable, and Congress has made clear that it's not going to be coming up. I think you've had leaders in Congress state that.

Q But the President didn't work for it to come up. I mean, nobody --- everybody understands how this process works. The President wants tax cuts, he lobbies all over the country ---

MR. McCLELLAN: That's why the President has taken strong steps to make sure we are combating violence committed with guns. And that's why we have a strong record ---

Q He was happy to let the authorization lapse, wasn't he?

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, you know that's a ridiculous assertion.

Q Name one thing, one step that the President took to have the assault weapons ban reauthorized?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's why I said, Ron, his position has been very well-known. We've restated that position. It remains unchanged. But he does not set the legislative timetable. Members of Congress set the legislative timetable. And Congress has stated --- congressional leaders have stated that it's not going to come up for a vote.

Q Is there one congressman, one congressional leader who he has called in Congress, and said, please put it on the timetable?

MR. McCLELLAN: Let's debate the real issue here --- and we're proud to debate the record on combating violence committed with guns, because we have a strong record of strictly enforcing our laws and reducing crimes committed with guns, if you look at the record.

Q And the President has a strong record of lobbying very hard for legislation he truly supports. Name one person who he called to lobby on behalf of legislation.

MR. McCLELLAN: --- his position has been made well-known.

Q So there's nothing more he could have done to get the ban extended?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think members of Congress have stated --- congressional leaders have stated that it's not going to be coming up for a vote.

Q Has he ever mentioned it in a speech that you can remember, I mean, as he goes around the country, ever mentioned the assault weapons ban?

MR. McCLELLAN: Certainly we're going to continue to talk about the strong action that he's taken to combat violence committed with guns, Ben. I think that's the --- it goes to the real issue here. You brought up the issue of whether or not this was effective, in terms of the assault weapons ban. That's something that people have continued to debate. But this President has led when it comes to combating violence committed with guns. And so we welcome a discussion of the record.

Q I've heard him bring up lots of legislation he wants passed as he goes around the country. I've never heard him bring up, I want to see the assault weapons ban ---

MR. McCLELLAN: No, he's made his position very well-known. So I disagree with that assertion.

Q Can you name one person who he's called on the Hill on behalf of this legislation?

MR. McCLELLAN: Look, members of Congress know his position very well, Ron.

Q So has he made a call to any of them?

MR. McCLELLAN: His position is very well-known, Ron, and members have known his position. And it's been discussed with members, too.

UPDATE: Though the White House doesn't credit who the speakers of the "Q's" are, it may be safe to assume that the questioner here is Ron Fournier of the AP. As much as I bash the press, it's only fair to try and give credit to those who don't roll over for the White House!

Wake up folks! The latest Harris Poll released today shows what I've been trying to tell you! The race is on with Bush ahead of Kerry nationally by just 1% (well within the margin of error).

The Harris poll, conducted by telephone Sept. 9-13, shows Sen. Kerry leading Mr. Bush 48% to 47% among likely voters nationwide. The poll also found that a slender 51% to 45% majority doesn't believe that Mr. Bush deserves to be re-elected.

As I've said, those national polls mean almost nothing. It's the Battleground states that matter most. Other than in the perception of how things are going. So if I hear one more Liberal or Democrat whining about how "uh, oh, we may lose!" I'm gonna hurl.

Just because they are better liars, doesn't mean Americans will buy it! They didn't buy it during Clinton, and the packs of vicious lies constantly thrown at him, and they don't need to buy it now! But if some of you folks roll over and give up they just might!

That's not the only poll out there saying the same thing. But the Republicans, and the lazy Mainstream Media that reports whatever they say, are hoping to give a different impression. If you make enough noise, perhaps they (at least the Media) will knock it off!

In another remarkable failure of the Bush Justice Dept., and their "War on Terror", yet another "enemy combatant", Yaser Hamdi, is being set free after three years of detention with no access to an attorney and not a single charge ever filed. He was also an American citizen. From Newsweek:

The first U.S. government-declared "enemy combatant" in the war on terror will soon be released from a military prison in South Carolina under an agreement that will allow him to fly home to Saudi Arabia as a free man, administration officials tell NEWSWEEK.

The agreement to free Yaser Esam Hamdi represents a stunning reversal for the Bush administration, which argued for more than two years that the former Taliban fighter was potentially so dangerous that he had to be detained indefinitely in solitary confinement with no access to counsel and no right to trial.

But in a landmark ruling last June, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered that Hamdi, an American citizen, be allowed to consult with his lawyer and challenge the basis for his imprisonment. This pushed the case back into federal court and forced the Justice Department to mount a hasty retreat.

Really, the only person living (that we know of) who knows for certain whether the information in the Killian memos is substantively accurate would be George W. Bush himself.

So CBS delivered these incriminating memos to the White House and the White House then released them to the press. Begging the question...If the information they contained was not accurate, why would they release them at all? At least without some caviat that they suspected them to be forgeries, or at the very least inaccurate or misleading or untrue?

MR. McCLELLAN:...We received those documents from a major news organization. We had every reason to believe that they were authentic at that time.
...
Q Scott, when you received the documents from CBS, do you know if anyone here looked at them carefully to come to some sort of validity judgment? Or did you simply pass them on to ---

MR. McCLELLAN: No. No, we have not made any effort to determine whether or not they were fabricated or authentic. I think I made that clear the other day. There are media organizations that are looking into this, they're talking to experts, they're raising questions about it. That's where it is. These are serious questions. They're being looked into.

But we had every reason to believe at the time that the documents were authentic.[emphasis added]

What reason would the "President" and the White House have to believe they were "authentic"? Wouldn't Dubya know that the information was inaccurate? Yet McClellan says twice that they believed they were "authentic", had "every reason to believe" it in fact.

If CBS had given them memos in which someone had said George W. Bush had sex with hamsters while in the National Guard, would they have simply passed them on to the press without comment?

Nobody in the press corp, however, bothered to ask McClellan about either that strange point or, more importantly, the substance of those "believed to be accurate" memos.

Nonetheless, for those who feel that the information in the memos must also be ignored if the docs themselves were frauds, I'd point you towards Kevin Drum. He has 5 salient and supported points, based on the White Houses' own released records, which show that Bush, at best, has yet to come clean on his "proud service" in the Air National Guard. And at worst, that there has been some serious skullduggery concerning those released records.

Apparently, however, the press corp is selective as to when they pay attention to the blogosphere and when they don't. Perhaps they're waiting for Fox News to ask the first question, and then they'll jump on in.